# 'Twere the Rants Before Christmas (December Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [December 1, 2025, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280 "2025-12-01T05:04:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/381 "2025-12-25T18:33:12Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Freezing drizzle? Wow, you really did draw the short straw this year. 'Tain’t fair! I don’t know if we actually got freezing drizzle, or I may have slept through it. Right now it’s sunny and unseasonably warm (meaning, above freezing). Tomorrow, the day after Christmas when many stores will be open and I might want to venture out for an interesting dinner, maybe even a takeout of Singapore Noodle and Pork Lo Mein, the forecast is: Snow. And after that, chance of More Snow! 😬 ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/382 "2025-12-25T19:07:11Z")
I received a framed picture of Time’s Man of The Year… as well as a copy of it on a sweater. I’m happy! [![](https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSyd1-OS__VoFqtcYCGiMySkeWGjHSdPBjjVdlXG6kZcdhvQUis) ](https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSyd1-OS__VoFqtcYCGiMySkeWGjHSdPBjjVdlXG6kZcdhvQUis) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/383 "2025-12-25T19:45:12Z")
That’s weird, I can think of a lot of people more influential than some murderer. It’s not like his choice to murder someone came remotely close to changing the system. And the dialog about health care has been happening for years, if not decades. So he accomplished nothing. Odd choice on Time’s part. Also, you have a picture of a person wearing a sweater on your sweater? That’s kind of funny. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/384 "2025-12-25T19:47:06Z")
Merry Rantsmas, everyone! I’m off to a Christmas party. Blaaaaargh. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/385 "2025-12-25T19:49:55Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Odd choice on Time’s part. It’s not real. This is the real one. (Two different versions.) [![](https://time.com/redesign/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.time.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F12%2Ftime-magazine-person-of-the-year-ai-2025-003.jpg%3Fquality%3D85%26w%3D1800&w=1200&q=75) ](https://time.com/redesign/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.time.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F12%2Ftime-magazine-person-of-the-year-ai-2025-003.jpg%3Fquality%3D85%26w%3D1800&w=1200&q=75) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/386 "2025-12-25T19:51:01Z")
Oh, well, that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/387 "2025-12-25T19:56:45Z")
You’ve never heard of a bad christmas sweater? Oh well… ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/388 "2025-12-25T21:53:23Z")
Besides. This is a present for me… meant for me. If you want to stroll up hands-on-hips and bitch about my present… when it wasn’t meant for you? How very Entitled of you, Karen. Feel free to list a present you got, so I can do it dirty like you ( and California Dickless ) have. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/389 "2025-12-25T22:07:09Z")
I had my uncle over for Christmas dinner. Which meant collecting him from the care home he’s currently living in, supposedly on a respite basis, but I doubt he’ll ever leave it. (Earlier in the year he had been found living in dirty, sordid conditions, having stopped looking after himself). His arms and legs are so wasted that he can’t get up without somebody helping him. Getting him out of the car and into the wheelchair was difficult, a passing dogwalker helped or we probably couldn’t have managed. I let him smoke indoors as it was too cold for him to sit outside. He seemed to have a nice time, ate a proper meal for once and polished off most of a bottle of wine. We watched the King’s broadcast, not because he had anything interesting to say, but because that’s what you do. Getting him back into the car was difficult, and there weren’t any random passersby to help this time. But somehow we managed. I feel exhausted. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/390 "2025-12-25T23:25:17Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > I had my uncle over for Christmas dinner. Which meant collecting him from the care home he’s currently living in, supposedly on a respite basis, but I doubt he’ll ever leave it. (Earlier in the year he had been found living in dirty, sordid conditions, having stopped looking after himself). His arms and legs are so wasted that he can’t get up without somebody helping him. Getting him out of the car and into the wheelchair was difficult, a passing dogwalker helped or we probably couldn’t have managed. I let him smoke indoors as it was too cold for him to sit outside. He seemed to have a nice time, ate a proper meal for once and polished off most of a bottle of wine. We watched the King’s broadcast, not because he had anything interesting to say, but because that’s what you do. Getting him back into the car was difficult, and there weren’t any random passersby to help this time. But somehow we managed. I feel exhausted.. Doing things like this are so difficult but the memories will stay with both of you. I used to take one of my uncles out for Sunday dinners and getting him in and out of the car was the hardest part. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/391 "2025-12-25T23:26:47Z")
> [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](#): > > I received a framed picture of Time’s Man of The Year… as well as a copy of it on a sweater. > > I’m happy!. > > [https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSyd1-OS\_\_VoFqtcYCGiMySkeWGjHSdPBjjVdlXG6kZcdhvQUis](https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSyd1-OS__VoFqtcYCGiMySkeWGjHSdPBjjVdlXG6kZcdhvQUis) Looks like a unique and thoughtful gift! Creative gift giving is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/392 "2025-12-26T00:49:04Z")
> [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](#): > > How very Entitled of you, Karen. > > Feel free to list a present you got, so I can do it dirty like you ( and California Dickless ) have. It wasn’t about your present. I was surprised Time named him man of the year. Which it turns out they didn’t. So that makes more sense. I also thought the idea of a sweater with a picture of a guy in a sweater was very funny and meta. It wasn’t an insult of your gift but intended as a compliment. Of _course_ I can appreciate a bad Christmas sweater. Merry Christmas! I hope you had a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/393 "2025-12-26T01:09:43Z")
What a kind thing for you to do. I think that’s wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/394 "2025-12-26T02:05:35Z")
I think the _Time_ mock-up is cool. Getting a fake “Person of the Year” cover is something that has become a pretty common sort of gift, and for someone to nail it because they know you well shows they care. The Christmas sweater is also a nice touch. Thanks for sharing the image and I’m glad you like it, and Merry Christmas @Mundane_Super_Hero, seriously. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/395 "2025-12-26T06:17:07Z")
Continuing to play with my new Win11 laptop, I checked out the USB port situation. Not plentiful, but adequate. Two USB 3 ports on the left side, one USB 2 port on the right, perfect for a right-pawed pup to plug in an external mouse. Which I did. A cheap Microsoft mouse that I had lying around and never used before. The cursor moved, but neither of the buttons worked. And then the trackpad buttons didn’t work, either. The computer had to be forcibly shut down and rebooted. I wondered whether the USB port might be defective. No, I just tried a new mouse that was part of my Amazon delivery a couple of days ago. Works fine. The Microsoft mouse is now in the garbage. ETA: I was almost getting to like Windows 11 when, in a recent login, I was assaulted by a whole bunch of “offers” for Microsoft services. Some I could just say “no” to, but there was at least one or two that only allowed me to defer the “offer” for a few days. Seriously? This is an OS that I **paid** for? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/396 "2025-12-26T14:47:28Z")
I’m running low on rum again, and there’s no way on God’s green earth that I’m going to a liquor store anywhere near New Year’s Eve. And it’s likely to be a madhouse this weekend, too. So I guess Monday may be the best bet, but the current forecast is rain on Sunday and snow on Monday, so Sunday may be a better bet. As for today, fuggetaboutit – we have a major snowfall warning! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/397 "2025-12-26T15:10:19Z")
Too late to edit but I just glanced out the window and the forecast, which was rated “high confidence”, is spot-on. There’s already blowing snow and the weather is unfit for man or beast. Thankfully I still have a decent supply of booze, some good dinners, and the Camry is safely ensconced in the garage ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/398 "2025-12-26T19:21:16Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I’m running low on rum again I am more of a whisky man, mostly when hiking. I drink beer or wine when I am not.. However, this looks interesting, a rum made and aged like a whisky > **[Inverroche Black Strap Rum | Decanter Liquor : Buy Fine Whisky & Select...](https://decanterliquor.co.za/shop/inverroche-black-strap-rum-750ml/)** > > A sipping rum crafted from African Blackstrap treacle molasses and aged for 7 years in first- and second-fill oak casks from Scotland & Portugal (Inverroche Whisky is exceptional, my second favorite to Laphroaig) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/399 "2025-12-26T21:09:03Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > However, this looks interesting, a rum made and aged like a whisky Well, all rum is aged in barrels, but typically not for 7 years. It does look interesting, but they’re out of stock and the liquor board here carries nothing at all under the name of “Inverroche”. Some very fine Cuban rums are available here, however, some of the well-aged ones having the finesse of a fine scotch. On balance, I find Bacardi Gold to be a fair price-quality deal, and I’m glad that Puerto Rico has been excluded from the US liquor embargo. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280/400 "2025-12-26T21:54:07Z")
We didn’t have a White Christmas, but we sure as hell had a White Boxing Day. Nowhere near as much snow as predicted – probably barely an inch – but everything outside is white and glittering. Sniwplow Guy hasn’t even come by yet and I hope he doesn’t for a while. I like the street plow and sidewalk plow to come by first and mess things up so Snowplow Guy can properly clean everything up. The timing doesn’t always work out that way and sometimes after a major snowfall I have to call Snowplow Guy back to clean up a huge drift that the street plow left in front of my driveway. To his credit, he has always come by within minutes. ETA: Checking the revised forecast, more snow and, as an added bonus, ice pellets! Nothing of note on Saturday, but on Sunday, global warming prevails! It will piss rain! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twere-the-rants-before-christmas-december-mini-rants/1025280.md?page=21)